P-pop act BGYO has made it to the Grammys’ annual “Many Sounds of Asian Pop” feature.
The group, composed of members Akira, JL, Nate, Mikki, and Gelo, is “redefining what it means to be a boy band in the Philippines,” the Grammys said in a release on 12 May.
BGYO was formed in 2018 through the ABS-CBN talent search Star Hunt Academy. The boys made their official debut in 2021.
The group’s name is an acronym for “Becoming the change, Going further, You and I, Originally Filipino.” The quintet’s music focuses on pop and R&B, with lyrics on self-love, empowerment and hope.
“The Light,” their debut single, landed on the Billboard Next Big Sound Chart. The song also amassed 10 million streams on Spotify and 12 million views on YouTube the same year.
In 2023, BGYO was named by MsMojo as one of the “Top 10 International Bands You Should Know About” alongside Filipino acts SB19 and Alamat.
The Recording Academy of the United States also listed nine other Asian acts who “have been responsible for some of the most exciting and eclectic music being released today.” With BGYO are South Korean singer-songwriter Car, Chinese singer Lexie Liu, South Korean alt-pop singer Hwang So-yoon, Thai pop girl group Pretzelle, South Korean indie rock band Baek Yerin, Thai indie singer-songwriter Phum Viphurit, Japanese boy band Sexy Zone, Hong Kong’s hip-hop artist Tyson Yoshi and Vietnamese singer and dancer Min.